392 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



It often happens in a place of considerable extent, that 

 somewhere in conductingr the walks throufifh the grrounds, 

 we meet with a ridge with a small rocky face, or perhaps 

 with a large rugged single rock, or a bank where rocky 

 summits just protrude themselves through the surface. The 

 common feeling against such uncouth objects, would direct 

 them to be cleared away at once out of sight. But let us take 

 the case of the large rugged rock, and commence our pictur- 

 esque operations upon it. We will begin by collecting from 

 some rocky hill or valley in the neighbourhood of the estate, 

 a sufficient quantity of rugged rocks, in size from a few 

 pounds to half a ton or more, if necessary, preferring always 

 such as are already coated with mosses and lichens. These 

 we will assemble around the base of the large rock, in an 

 irregular somewhat pyramidal group, bedding them some- 

 times partially, sometimes almost entirely in soil heaped in 

 irregular piles around the rock. The rocks must be arranged 

 in a natural manner, avoiding all regularity and appearance 

 of formal art, but placing them sometimes in groups of half 

 a dozen together, overhanging each other, and sometimes half 

 bedded in the soil, and a little distance apart. There are no 

 rules to be given for such operations, but the study of natu- 

 ral groups, of a character similar to that which we wish to 

 produce, will aiford sufficient hints if the artist is 



" Prodigue de genie," 



and has a perception of the natural beauty which he desires 

 to imitate. 



The rockwork once formed, choice trailing, creeping and 

 alpine plants, such as delight naturally in similar situations, 

 may be planted in the soil which fills the interstices between 

 the rocks : when these grow to fill their proper places, partly 



